White Ware Lotus Dish
Brief Identification The bowl is a porcelain bowl with a white glaze, the rim bound in copper. It has a Lotus Flower design etched into it, and was fired at the Ding Kiln of the Song Dynasty, Eastern Asia http://collections.ashmolean.org/object/723175. The Lotus Flower significance lies within its symbolism in the context of neo-Confucianism ideals which incorporated some of its ideas from Buddhism and Daoism. In Buddhism, the Lotus flower is a symbol of humanity's nature. The Flower blossoms from the muddy waters which it was grown in, untouched by the mud around it. The flower is representative of a person's morality, character, and virtues while the mud represents the badness of the world. So, the person, like the Lotus Flower, is untouched by the world's badness and remains true in their virtues. Daoists did borrow the Lotus Flower from Buddhism art and symbolism, but it remains a prominent symbol used in much of their art today, and is a symbol of Daoism. As such, it represents a similar ideal. The Lotus Flower rises from the soil, undiminished by it, just as a person should be undiminished and clean of the lies and corruptness of the world https://gotheborg.com/glossary/lotus.shtml. Therefore, this dish, which would have been traded as a luxury good or bought as such, would be representative of the buyer's virtue. Technical Evaluation Ding Ware was created for 500 years, however, during the Northern Song Dynasty, it became immensely popular due to its imperial use. After this, it was highly popularized. Ding Ware is characterized by thin body, white glaze, and the chime sound it creates when tapped. These three can be attributed to the techniques used at the Ding Kiln. Ding Ware is known for the technique with which patterns were carved into the ceramics. A round bamboo stylus was used to etch a pattern into the ceramic, such as the lotus design. Later, clay moulds with the design upraised were used to save time, although this decreased the artistic value of the ceramics. A stamp was also applied to all items produced before they dried, as to signify it was produced from the Ding Kln. The ceramics were placed inside the kilns in firing boxes, upside down, with clay rings separating each item. This meant more ceramics could be fired at once, saved coal fuel, and reduced the ceramic from becoming malformed. However, because the ceramics were stacked upside down, the edge touching the box would not have a glaze, and look unrefined, so it would be bound in copper to hide the fact, as well as to add slightly more value and strength to the piece. It was baked at 1,300 degrees Celsius, whereas most were fired at 1,250 degree celsius. This creates a fine, firm texture. Additionally, titanium dioxide, when at this temperature, reacts and bonds to the clay and creates a surface that appears to be glossed ivory http://www.chinatoday.com.cn/ctenglish/2018/ich/201805/t20180515_800129487.html. Local Historical Context The Song Dynasty emerged out of a period of disunity within the people and states of East Asia. It began in the northern area when Zhou, later taking the title Taizu, gained power and unified some of the states under the Song Dynasty which lasted from 960- 1279. At this time, there was a revival in Neo Confucianism, based upon the morals of Confucius. Traditionally, Confucianism focuses on inner morality gained through character growth, the ideals that all men can be morally equal, and that rulers should rule by example instead of focusing on punishing those committing crimes or acting out. However, Neo-Confucianism was popular, not traditional Confucianism. The difference is that Neo Confucianism was more rational, and dealt more with metaphysics- the relation of the body to the mind. As such, it became an integral part of society. It also included Daoist and Buddhism ideals, although traditional Buddhism was seen as going against traditional Chinese values, and was taboo to practice. This is why the symbol of the Lotus would have been a prominent, well known symbol at this time. Neo-Confucianism was an integral part of the civil service examination system, put into place at this time as the only true means of entering the government. At first, the exam tested based on classical confucian texts, but upon moving the Song Dynasty to the southern part of the empire, it began testing on neo-confucian tests, namely “the four books.” These were books which told of the principles of Confucianism, mixed with commentary and ideals from Daoism and Buddhism. They told a ruler how to live, act, and philosophies by which to govern. It also emphasized the tradition of ancestral worship https://songdynasty88.weebly.com/neo-confucianism.html. The economy was great. There was much trade, industrialization in cities, and metropolises. One such city was Kaifeng, a city which was a huge trade center in past eras and continued to be a center for trade during this time. The city was situated near coal and iron mines, as well as created paper, textiles, porcelain, and prints. These goods were part of the Silk Road trade. They also imported many luxury goods and animals, while exporting silk, rice, tea, and copper. Copper was seen as a metal used on luxury goods, even though it had been the earliest metal known. Additionally, there was a huge shipbuilding and transportation market, farmers grew cash crops- even if they were often over-taxed- and the economy was similar to the industrial economy of today. As such, fine porcelain was popular with an ever growing middle class and elites. This, as well as demand overseas, created a high demand for Chinese porcelain. During the Song Dynasty, the Chinese Ceramic Industry grew in size and technique. The process by which one created ceramics was refined and cultured into a true luxury good, sold along the Silk Road. They also had such a value within society that they were used to pay the yearly tribute in the Song Dynastyhttps://www.ancient.eu/Song_Dynasty/#google_vignette. World-Historical Significance Chinese Ceramics from the Song Dynasty represent the time of which they were created in. During the Song Dynasty, trade flourished over land, and later, maritime trade did as well. The Song Dynasty was a hub for trade, and they flourished in profiting off of selling the products of their many industries. The industry which was the most prominent at this time was that of ceramics. The Five Great Kilns, a term coined in the 19th century by scholars Niziolek, Lisa C. “A Compositional study of a selection of Song Dynasty Chinese Ceramics from the ''Java Sea Shipwreck: ''results from LA-ICP-MS Analysis.” Chicago, Illinois: Integrative Research Center, The Field Museum. P. 1., were five kilns famous for the quality and quantity of the ceramics they produced Cui, Jianfeng and Nigel Wood and Dashu Qin and Lijun Zhou and Mikyung Ko and Xin Li. “Chemical Analysis of white porcelains from the Ding Kiln site, Habei Province, China.” Journal of Archeological Science. 30 July 2011.. These were the kilns of Ru, Jun, Guan, Ge, and Ding. The ceramics created at these kilns were highly treasured because they were of the highest quality, and the imperial household, at different times, got their wares from several of these. They were popular as luxury goods domestically and abroad. The Ding Kiln is representative of the prosperity of the Song Dynasty, as well as China as a whole. During its 500 year operation it created high quality ceramics that were highly treasured by those in East Asia, as well as those as far as East Africa and Southwest Asia. In these wares being found in such a widespread area- truly world wide- the wares of China show how China prospered through the luxury trade network. This is why the Song Dynasty maintained some of its prestige- it was due to the profit and goods which it accumulated from its ceramic trade Niziolek, Lisa C. “A Compositional study of a selection of Song Dynasty Chinese Ceramics from the ''Java Sea Shipwreck: ''results from LA-ICP-MS Analysis.” Chicago, Illinois: Integrative Research Center, The Field Museum. P. 1.. Although this ware, at first sight, appears to be a simple bowl, it is not. Those at the kilns took a simple ware and made it significant. A ware was created that is representative of a time period in its symbolism, prosperity, and value. Even today, wares from the Ding Kiln, and the other kilns of the Five Famous Wares, are highly treasured and sought after. This is not just because of their simple elegance, but because of the period of Chinese prosperity, and world prosperity of trade, which is represented through them. Citations 5"Cartwright, Mark. “Song Dynasty. Ancient History Encyclopedia.” 26 September 2017. https://www.ancient.eu/Song_Dynasty/#google_vignette 7 Cui, Jianfeng and Nigel Wood and Dashu Qin and Lijun Zhou and Mikyung Ko and Xin Li. “Chemical Analysis of white porcelains from the Ding Kiln site, Habei Province, China.” Journal of Archeological Science. 30 July 2011. 2 3- Nilson, Jan-Erik. “Lotus.” Gotheborg.com. 1998-2019. https://gotheborg.com/glossary/lotus.shtml 8 Niziolek, Lisa C. “A Compositional study of a selection of Song Dynasty Chinese Ceramics from the ''Java Sea Shipwreck: ''results from LA-ICP-MS Analysis.” Chicago, Illinois: Integrative Research Center, The Field Museum. P. 1. 6 Rastelli, Sabrina. "The Concept of the Five Famous Wares of the Song Dynasty- A Modern Invention." Venice, Italy: Department of Asian and North African Studies, Ca'Foscari University of Venice. p. 460-466. 3 “Song Dynasty Ceramics.” China Online Museum. 2019. https://www.comuseum.com/ceramics/song/ 4 - “The Song Dynasty: Neo-Confucianism.” Weebly. https://songdynasty88.weebly.com/neo-confucianism.html 1 “White Ware Dish with Lotus Decoration.” Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology. http://collections.ashmolean.org/object/723175 3 Xiaoyan, Song. “Ding Ware, as White as Snow and as Lustrous as Jade.” China Today. 15 May 2018. http://www.chinatoday.com.cn/ctenglish/2018/ich/201805/t20180515_800129487.html